The Future of Public Human Resources Post Covid19: Challenges and Opportunities
Keywords:
Covid-19; Paradigm Shift; Public Human Resources; Information; Technology
Abstract
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has reverberated through the world and South Africa is no exception. Within the South African context, the impact was severe even in the public sector since most of the South African population rely heavily on public services such as health. During the hard lockdown (level 5) government employees were required to limit their face-to-face interaction with the public in the provision of such services and migrate most of these onto online platforms. This migration was more of reaction than pro-action and thus resulted in most of these services experiencing teething problems, the public raising their voice of dissatisfaction and staff members experiencing low morale owing to these challenges. The crisis has had public organisations to develop, adapt or improve remote work policies and procedures. Public managers struggled to keep employees safe and informed, failed to answer questions like what changes will be more permanent, how will they guide employees and organisational leadership through these changes, what is the technology and communications infrastructure needed for successful remote work and at what is this available to employees? Despite these challenges, opportunities abound in the new-normal and this could create a new culture within the public service of high productivity, accountability and performance management. This article presents a review of the recent literature on public resources management relation in the impact of Covid-19 on public organisations. It sets out to explore the extent to which this literature has responded to impact and how public organisations have responded to the pandemic.
References
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Azizi, M.R., Atlasi, R., Ziapour, A., Abbas, J. & Naemi, R. 2021. Innovative Human Resource Strategies during COVID-19: A systematic narrative review Approach. Accessed 10 April 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07233.
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Chen, Z. 2021. Influence of Working from Home During the COVID-19 Crisis and HR Practitioner Response. Frontier Psychology, 12: 1-8.
Collingsa, D.G., McMackina, J., Nybergb, A.J. & Wright, P.M. 2021. Strategic Human Resource Management and COVID-19: Emerging Challenges and Research Opportunities. Accessed 04 May 2022
Cooke, F.L., Dickmann, M. & Parry, E. 2021. After 30 years: taking stock in times of COVID-19 and looking towards the future of HR research. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(1):1-23.
Dirani, K.M., Abadi, M. , Alizadeh, A. , Barhate, B. , Garza, R.C., Gunasekara, N. , Ibrahim, G. & Majzun, Z. 2020. Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource development in times of crisis: a response to Covid-19 pandemic, Human Resource Development International. Accessed 20 April 2022.
Hamouche, S. 2021. Human resource management and the COVID-19 crisis: implications, challenges, opportunities, and future organizational directions. Accessed 28 April 2022 < https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2021.15>.
Ichsan, R.N., Khaeruman, Santosa, S., Shara, Y. & Liriwati, F.Y. 2020. Investigation of strategic human resource management practices in business after covid-19 disruption. Palarch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 17(7): 13098-13110.
Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Manyika, J., Smit, S., Ellingrud, K. & Robinson, O. 2021. The future of work after Covid-19. Accessed 28 April 2022.
Yifan, Z., Li, Y., Ding, J. & Liao, Y. 2021. Risk Management: Exploring Emerging Human Resource Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management 14(228): 1-28.
Schwartz, J., Hatfield, S., Jones, R., & Anderson, S. 2019. What is the future of work? Redefining work, workforces, and workplaces. Accessed 20 May 2022.
Schultz, C.M. 2021. The future and the role of human resource management in South Africa during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. SA Journal of Human Resource Management/SA, 19(0).
Aguinis H. & Burgitian,J.(2021). Talent management challenges during COVID-19 and beyond: Performance management to the rescue. Business Research Quarterly, 24(3): 233-240.
Akkermans, J., Richardson, J., & Kraimer, M. (2020). The Covid-19 crisis as a career shock: Implications for careers and vocational behavior. Journal of vocational behavior, 119, 1-6.doi: 10.1016/ j.jvb.2020.103434.
Aitken-Fox, E., Coffey, J., Dataram, k., Fitzgerald, S., Gupta, C., McKenna, S., & Wei Tian, A.(2020a). COVID-19 and the changing employee experience. LSE Business Review. Retrieved from https:// blogs.Ise.ac.ac.uk/businessreview/2020/06/24/Covid-19-and-the-changing-employee-experience/.
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2020). Armstrong 's handbook of human resource management practice. USA: Kogan Page Publishers.
Asatiani, A., Hämäläinen, J., Penttinen, E., & Rossi, M. (2021). Constructing continuity across the organisational culture boundary in a highly virtual work environment. Information system journal,31(1), 62- 93.
Azizi, M. R., Atlasi, R., Ziapour, A., Abbas, J. & Naemi, R. 2021. Innovative Human Resource Strategies during COVID-19: A systematic narrative review approach. Accessed 10 April 2022 https://doing.org/10.1016/j.haliyon.2021.e07233.
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Bartik,A. W., Cullen,Z.B.,Glasser, E.L., Luca, M., & Stanton , C.T. (2020). What jobs are being done at home during the COVID-19 crisis? Evidence from firm -level surveys (No. w27422). National Beurea of Economic Research.
Bussin, M.H.R. & Swart- Opperman, C. 2021. Considering impacts to employees and the workplace. Accessed 15 May.
Caligiuri, p.,De Cieri,H., Minbaeva, D.,Verbeke, A., & Zimmermann, A.(2020). International HRM insights for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future research and practice. Journal of International business studies,51,697-713.
Carnevale, J.B., & Hatak, L. I. (2020). Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management. Journal of Business Research, 116, 183-187.
Cooke, F.L., Dickmann, M. & Parry, E. 2021. After 30 yeara: taking stock in times of COVID-19 and looking towards the future of HR research. The international Journal of Human Resource Management,32(1):1-24.
Dirani, K.M., Abadi, M., Alizadeh, A., Barratt B., Garza, R.C., Gunasekara, N., Ibrahim G.& Majzun, Z. 2020. Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource development in times of crisis: a response to Covid-19 pandemic, Human Resource Development International. Accessed 20 April 2022< https: //doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2020.1780078>.
Elsafty,A. S., &Ragheb , M. (2020). The role of human resource management towards employee’s retention during Covid-19 pandemic in medical supplies sector-Egypt. Business and management studies,6(2),5059-5059.
Gourinchas, P.O. (2020). Flattening the pandemic and recession curves. Mitigating the COVID Economic Crisis:Act Fast and Do Whatever, 31, 1-227.
Hamouche, S. (2020). COVID-19 and employees' mental health: Stressors, moderators, and agenda for organizational actions. Emerald Open Research, 2(15). doi: 10.35241/emeraldopenres.13550.1.
Ichsan.R.N., Khaeruman, Santosa, S., Shara, Y. & Liriwati.F.Y. 2020. Investigation of strategic human resource management practices I'm business after Covid-19 disruption. Palarchs's Journal of Achaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 17(7): 13098-13110.
ILO., (2020). Working conditions. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.ch/global/topics/working- conditions/lang--en/index.htm.
Koirala, J., & Acharya, S. (2020). Dimensions of human resource management evolved with the outbreak of COVID-19. Available at SSRN 3584092.
Leonardo, P.M. (2020). COVID-19 and the new technologies of organizing: digital exhaust, digital footprints and artificial intelligence in the wake of remote work. Journal of Management Studies. https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jomstd/v58y2021i1p249-253.html.
Liu, Y., Lee, J. M., & Lee, C. (2020). The challenges and opportunities of a global health crisis: The management and business implications of COVID-19 from an Asian perspective. Asian Business & management, 19, 277-297.
Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Manyika, J., Smit, S., Ellingrud, K., Meaner, M., & Robinson, O. (2021). The future of work after COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured- insights/future-of-work/the- future-of-work-after-covid-19.
Maurer, R. (2020). Job interviews go virtual in response to COVID-19. Retrieved fromhttps://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/acquisition/pages/job-interviews-go-virtual- response-covid-19-coronavirus.aspx.
Mondy, R. W., & Martocchio, J. J. (2016). Human Resource Management. USA: Pearson.
Molino, M., Ingusci, E., Signore, F., Maruti, A., Giancaspro, M. L., Russo.V., Cortese, C. G. (2020). Wellbeing costs of technology use during Covid-19 remote working: an investigation using the Italian translation of the technostress creator’s scale. Sustainability. 12(15), 5911.
Prasad. K., & Vaidya, R. W. (2020). Association among Covid-19 parameters, occupational stress, and employee performance: An empirical study with reference to agricultural research sector in Hyderabad Metro. Sustainable Humanosphere, 16(2), 235-253.
Regmi, K., & Lwin. C. M. (2020). Impact of social distancing measures for preventing coronavirus disease 2019[COVID-19]: A systematic review and meta- analysis protocol. medRxiv.doi:10.1101/2020.06.13.20130294.
Schwartz, J., Hatfield, S., Jones, R., & Anderson, S. 2019. What is the future of work? Redefining work, workforces, and workplaces. Accessed 20 May 2022< https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/nl/Documents/humancapital/deloitte-nl-hc-what-is-the- future-of-work.pdf>.
Schultz, C.M. 2021. The future and the role of human resource management in South Africa during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. SA journal of Human Resource Management/SA,19(0).
Shaw, W. S., Main, C. J., Findley, P. A., Colin, A., Kristian. V.L., & Gross, D. P. (2020). Opening the workplace after COVID-19: What lessons can be learned from return-to-work research? Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation,30, 299-302.
Wang, J., Hutchins, H. M., & Garavan, T.N. (2009). Exploring the strategic role of human resource development in organizational crisis management. Human Resource Development Review, 8(1), 22-53.
Wong, E., Ho, K., Wong, S., Cheung, A., & Yeoh, E. (2020). Workplace safety and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic: survey of employees. Bull World Health Organ. E-pub, 20.
Yifan, Z., Li, Y., Ding, J & Liao, Y. 2021. Risk Management: Exploring Emerging Human Resource Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management 14(228): 1-28.
Yu, Z., Wang, G., Goldman, E., Zangerl, B., Xie, N., Cao, Y., ... Maida, M. (2021). COVID-19 vaccine: Call for employees in international transportation industries and international travellers as the first priority in global distribution. Open Medicine, 16(1), 134-138.
Azizi, M.R., Atlasi, R., Ziapour, A., Abbas, J. & Naemi, R. 2021. Innovative Human Resource Strategies during COVID-19: A systematic narrative review Approach. Accessed 10 April 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07233.
Bussin, M.H.R. & Swart-Opperman, C. 2021. Considering impacts to employees and the workplace. Accessed 15 May 2022 < https://sajhrm.co.za/index.php/sajhrm/article/view/1384/2622>.
Chen, Z. 2021. Influence of Working from Home During the COVID-19 Crisis and HR Practitioner Response. Frontier Psychology, 12: 1-8.
Collingsa, D.G., McMackina, J., Nybergb, A.J. & Wright, P.M. 2021. Strategic Human Resource Management and COVID-19: Emerging Challenges and Research Opportunities. Accessed 04 May 2022
Cooke, F.L., Dickmann, M. & Parry, E. 2021. After 30 years: taking stock in times of COVID-19 and looking towards the future of HR research. The International Journal of Human Resource Management, 32(1):1-23.
Dirani, K.M., Abadi, M. , Alizadeh, A. , Barhate, B. , Garza, R.C., Gunasekara, N. , Ibrahim, G. & Majzun, Z. 2020. Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource development in times of crisis: a response to Covid-19 pandemic, Human Resource Development International. Accessed 20 April 2022
Hamouche, S. 2021. Human resource management and the COVID-19 crisis: implications, challenges, opportunities, and future organizational directions. Accessed 28 April 2022 < https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/jmo.2021.15>.
Ichsan, R.N., Khaeruman, Santosa, S., Shara, Y. & Liriwati, F.Y. 2020. Investigation of strategic human resource management practices in business after covid-19 disruption. Palarch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 17(7): 13098-13110.
Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Manyika, J., Smit, S., Ellingrud, K. & Robinson, O. 2021. The future of work after Covid-19. Accessed 28 April 2022
Yifan, Z., Li, Y., Ding, J. & Liao, Y. 2021. Risk Management: Exploring Emerging Human Resource Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management 14(228): 1-28.
Schwartz, J., Hatfield, S., Jones, R., & Anderson, S. 2019. What is the future of work? Redefining work, workforces, and workplaces. Accessed 20 May 2022
Schultz, C.M. 2021. The future and the role of human resource management in South Africa during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. SA Journal of Human Resource Management/SA, 19(0).
Aguinis H. & Burgitian,J.(2021). Talent management challenges during COVID-19 and beyond: Performance management to the rescue. Business Research Quarterly, 24(3): 233-240.
Akkermans, J., Richardson, J., & Kraimer, M. (2020). The Covid-19 crisis as a career shock: Implications for careers and vocational behavior. Journal of vocational behavior, 119, 1-6.doi: 10.1016/ j.jvb.2020.103434.
Aitken-Fox, E., Coffey, J., Dataram, k., Fitzgerald, S., Gupta, C., McKenna, S., & Wei Tian, A.(2020a). COVID-19 and the changing employee experience. LSE Business Review. Retrieved from https:// blogs.Ise.ac.ac.uk/businessreview/2020/06/24/Covid-19-and-the-changing-employee-experience/.
Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2020). Armstrong 's handbook of human resource management practice. USA: Kogan Page Publishers.
Asatiani, A., Hämäläinen, J., Penttinen, E., & Rossi, M. (2021). Constructing continuity across the organisational culture boundary in a highly virtual work environment. Information system journal,31(1), 62- 93.
Azizi, M. R., Atlasi, R., Ziapour, A., Abbas, J. & Naemi, R. 2021. Innovative Human Resource Strategies during COVID-19: A systematic narrative review approach. Accessed 10 April 2022 https://doing.org/10.1016/j.haliyon.2021.e07233.
Baert, S., Lippens, L., Moens, E., Stekerns P., & Weytjens, j. (2020). How do we think COVID-19 crisis will affect our careers (if any remain)?, GLO Discussion paper, No. 520, Global Labor Organizations( GLO), Essen.
Bartik,A. W., Cullen,Z.B.,Glasser, E.L., Luca, M., & Stanton , C.T. (2020). What jobs are being done at home during the COVID-19 crisis? Evidence from firm -level surveys (No. w27422). National Beurea of Economic Research.
Bussin, M.H.R. & Swart- Opperman, C. 2021. Considering impacts to employees and the workplace. Accessed 15 May
Caligiuri, p.,De Cieri,H., Minbaeva, D.,Verbeke, A., & Zimmermann, A.(2020). International HRM insights for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic: Implications for future research and practice. Journal of International business studies,51,697-713.
Carnevale, J.B., & Hatak, L. I. (2020). Employee adjustment and well-being in the era of COVID-19: Implications for human resource management. Journal of Business Research, 116, 183-187.
Cooke, F.L., Dickmann, M. & Parry, E. 2021. After 30 yeara: taking stock in times of COVID-19 and looking towards the future of HR research. The international Journal of Human Resource Management,32(1):1-24.
Dirani, K.M., Abadi, M., Alizadeh, A., Barratt B., Garza, R.C., Gunasekara, N., Ibrahim G.& Majzun, Z. 2020. Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource development in times of crisis: a response to Covid-19 pandemic, Human Resource Development International. Accessed 20 April 2022< https: //doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2020.1780078>.
Elsafty,A. S., &Ragheb , M. (2020). The role of human resource management towards employee’s retention during Covid-19 pandemic in medical supplies sector-Egypt. Business and management studies,6(2),5059-5059.
Gourinchas, P.O. (2020). Flattening the pandemic and recession curves. Mitigating the COVID Economic Crisis:Act Fast and Do Whatever, 31, 1-227.
Hamouche, S. (2020). COVID-19 and employees' mental health: Stressors, moderators, and agenda for organizational actions. Emerald Open Research, 2(15). doi: 10.35241/emeraldopenres.13550.1.
Ichsan.R.N., Khaeruman, Santosa, S., Shara, Y. & Liriwati.F.Y. 2020. Investigation of strategic human resource management practices I'm business after Covid-19 disruption. Palarchs's Journal of Achaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 17(7): 13098-13110.
ILO., (2020). Working conditions. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.ch/global/topics/working- conditions/lang--en/index.htm.
Koirala, J., & Acharya, S. (2020). Dimensions of human resource management evolved with the outbreak of COVID-19. Available at SSRN 3584092.
Leonardo, P.M. (2020). COVID-19 and the new technologies of organizing: digital exhaust, digital footprints and artificial intelligence in the wake of remote work. Journal of Management Studies. https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/jomstd/v58y2021i1p249-253.html.
Liu, Y., Lee, J. M., & Lee, C. (2020). The challenges and opportunities of a global health crisis: The management and business implications of COVID-19 from an Asian perspective. Asian Business & management, 19, 277-297.
Lund, S., Madgavkar, A., Manyika, J., Smit, S., Ellingrud, K., Meaner, M., & Robinson, O. (2021). The future of work after COVID-19. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured- insights/future-of-work/the- future-of-work-after-covid-19.
Maurer, R. (2020). Job interviews go virtual in response to COVID-19. Retrieved fromhttps://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/acquisition/pages/job-interviews-go-virtual- response-covid-19-coronavirus.aspx.
Mondy, R. W., & Martocchio, J. J. (2016). Human Resource Management. USA: Pearson.
Molino, M., Ingusci, E., Signore, F., Maruti, A., Giancaspro, M. L., Russo.V., Cortese, C. G. (2020). Wellbeing costs of technology use during Covid-19 remote working: an investigation using the Italian translation of the technostress creator’s scale. Sustainability. 12(15), 5911.
Prasad. K., & Vaidya, R. W. (2020). Association among Covid-19 parameters, occupational stress, and employee performance: An empirical study with reference to agricultural research sector in Hyderabad Metro. Sustainable Humanosphere, 16(2), 235-253.
Regmi, K., & Lwin. C. M. (2020). Impact of social distancing measures for preventing coronavirus disease 2019[COVID-19]: A systematic review and meta- analysis protocol. medRxiv.doi:10.1101/2020.06.13.20130294.
Schwartz, J., Hatfield, S., Jones, R., & Anderson, S. 2019. What is the future of work? Redefining work, workforces, and workplaces. Accessed 20 May 2022< https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/nl/Documents/humancapital/deloitte-nl-hc-what-is-the- future-of-work.pdf>.
Schultz, C.M. 2021. The future and the role of human resource management in South Africa during the Fourth Industrial Revolution. SA journal of Human Resource Management/SA,19(0).
Shaw, W. S., Main, C. J., Findley, P. A., Colin, A., Kristian. V.L., & Gross, D. P. (2020). Opening the workplace after COVID-19: What lessons can be learned from return-to-work research? Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation,30, 299-302.
Wang, J., Hutchins, H. M., & Garavan, T.N. (2009). Exploring the strategic role of human resource development in organizational crisis management. Human Resource Development Review, 8(1), 22-53.
Wong, E., Ho, K., Wong, S., Cheung, A., & Yeoh, E. (2020). Workplace safety and coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic: survey of employees. Bull World Health Organ. E-pub, 20.
Yifan, Z., Li, Y., Ding, J & Liao, Y. 2021. Risk Management: Exploring Emerging Human Resource Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Risk and Financial Management 14(228): 1-28.
Yu, Z., Wang, G., Goldman, E., Zangerl, B., Xie, N., Cao, Y., ... Maida, M. (2021). COVID-19 vaccine: Call for employees in international transportation industries and international travellers as the first priority in global distribution. Open Medicine, 16(1), 134-138.
Published
2023-08-06
How to Cite
Nkgabe, D., & M Pillay, R. (2023). The Future of Public Human Resources Post Covid19: Challenges and Opportunities. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 6(8), 285-296. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v6i8.1622
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